The present invention relates generally to disposable cup dispensers and specifically to disposable cup dispensers to be used in a bathroom or washroom and mounted on an existing wall-mounted cup holder.
Many homes, apartments, and a condominiums, particularly older homes, apartments, and condominiums, have installed in the bathroom or washroom a wall-mounted cup holder. These cup holders are typically ceramic, glass, plastic, or metal, and are rigidly and permanently affixed to the wall several inches above the bathroom counter or backsplash. The wall-mounted cup holder typically consists of a vertical wall flange with a horizontal cup-holding ring attached thereto. The cup-holding ring often has slots or holes arrayed around it for storing toothbrushes.
Wall-mounted cup holders typically come with a cup that is dimensioned to be received in the cup-holding ring but too large to pass entirely through the cup-holding ring. The cup is usually made of the same material as the cup holder. If the cup is ceramic, glass, or plastic, the cup is easily broken if dropped on a hard surface, like a hard bathroom countertop or ceramic tile floor. Moreover, if children are using the bathroom or washroom, the cup can become lost or inadvertently thrown in the trash. When the cup is broken or lost, it can be difficult to find a replacement cup that fits appropriately. Accordingly, there is a need for a replacement for the old-fashioned cup holder with a single cup.
Another problem with old-fashioned wall-mounted cup holders is that they are not sanitary. First, there is just one cup. If the bathroom is being used by two or more people, the users will be faced with using the same cup and thereby exchanging contagions. This is especially true if the users are ill and are using the cup to take medicines (e.g., swallow pills and capsules). In addition, because people often use the cup to rinse out their mouths after brushing their teeth, the cup is usually fouled with toothpaste residue.
Equipping bathrooms and washrooms with small disposable cups solves many of the problems associated with old-fashioned wall-mounted cup holders. First, the inconvenience associated with losing or breaking the cup is alleviated. Next, the sanitation issues described above are alleviated. Although the breakage, loss, and sanitation issues are resolved, a number of new problems can be introduced if disposable cups are used. For example, if the disposable cups are placed in a stack on the rim of the sink or on the countertop, they consume part of the limited space surrounding the sink. This is especially true if the sink is contained in a small vanity or mounted without a vanity at all (e.g., pedestal sinks and cantilever-mounted sinks). Of course, the cups cannot be placed in the cup holder because they would pass right through the cup-holding ring. In addition, stacks of cups on the countertop or side of the sink are easily knocked over.
If the cups are placed in a dispenser (e.g., cardboard or plastic box), they consume even more of the limited space surrounding the sink or on the countertop. Finally, if the box is placed on the wall-mounted cup holder, it is easily knocked off and broken and will obstruct the toothbrush slots of the cup holder. Accordingly, there is a need for a disposable cup dispenser that does not consume space around the sink or on the countertop and which can be easily attached, removed, and refilled. Furthermore, there is a need for such a dispenser that attaches to an existing wall-mounted cup holder without obstructing the toothbrush slots in the holder.
Another problem with wall-mounted cup holders is that they are not easily removed (e.g., for repair or replacement). The wall-mounted cup dispenser is permanently attached directly to the wall with lag screws, wood screws, drywall fasteners, or other means known in the art. Removal of the cup holder, therefore, leaves the wall scarred with unsightly holes. This problem is greatly exacerbated when the wall to which the wall-mounted cup holder is fastened is covered with ceramic tile or wainscoting. If the wall is covered in ceramic tile or wainscoting, repair costs are even higher as tiles or sheets of wainscoting must be replaced. Accordingly, there is a need for a method of converting a wall-mounted cup holder to a disposable cup dispenser that does not require removing the wall-mounted cup holder.